In the last part of this ultimate guide, we showed you how to create content that will secure backlinks. Now we are going to show you how:
Let’s dive in . . .
As you embark on your quest for link building domination, it’s important that you have a clear understanding of where you should be building links.
With Google’s crackdown on spammy link-building tactics, generating links from high-quality sources is more important than ever before.
But what constitutes a high-quality link and how can you find them?
Here are some factors to consider.
One of the most important factors when searching for high-quality links is the authority of the linking page.
For example, a link from The Huffington Post will be ten times more valuable than five links from an unknown blogger.
One way to judge the quality of links is through the website’s Domain and Page Authority which can be found using Moz.com’s free Open Site Explorer tool.
Personally, I recommend looking for sites with a DA and PA of at least 40.
Understanding DA, PA, & PageRank:
Domain Authority (DA): Developed by Moz, DA is a score (ranging from 1 to 100) that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine results pages (SERPs). It’s calculated based on multiple factors, including the number of total links and linking root domains. Higher DA means greater potential to rank.
Page Authority (PA): Similar to DA but specific to individual web pages, PA also ranges from 1 to 100. It predicts the likelihood of a single page to rank well, taking into account link counts and other data.
PageRank: This is Google’s system for ranking web pages based on their importance, which is determined largely through backlinks. It was a foundational concept in the early days of Google but is now one of many factors used in ranking.
Remember that DA is an arbitrary number and does not always indicate the quality or trustworthiness of a website. Plenty of great websites have lower DA and PA, and plenty of shadier sites have a Domain Authority of 60 or more.
As the Google search ranking factors leak showed, DA and PA are and always have been real. Despite Google saying they aren’t. This is what we know from Google and why this matters for backlinks:
Branded search has value. For example, if a site has a lot of links and traffic but a smaller SEO footprint (e.g., a site with 10k backlinks but only 5 pages and limited social presence) that’s a warning signal to Google. Website’s need to ensure that linkbuilding strategies are in-line with other efforts, such as SEO, social media, and other factors that Google does include in ranking algorithms.
Equally as important as the domain authority (if not more so) is the relevance of the linking domain.
Relevance puts every link in context, and links from sites that have nothing to do with your website will negatively impact how well you rank in SERPs.
Google’s algorithm is rapidly evolving and in recent years, they have increased their focus on the relevance of linking sites.
What this means is that whenever you are looking for websites where you can earn a backlink, you want to make sure that the site is relevant to your website in a meaningful way.
For example: Imagine that you are working on a link-building campaign for a men’s fitness site and you are debating between trying to earn a link from two different websites.
Which website would you want a link from?
Hint: The experts at Google suggest that you should always opt for the website that is more relevant to your specific niche.
Bye bye, monstertrucks.com!
The next question you should ask yourself is whether the link will be editorially placed or not.
An editorial link is any link that has to be approved by a website moderator or owner (think guest posts, resource pages, or organic contextual links).
A non-editorial link is any link that can be created without the approval of the website owner.
For example, creating a profile on another person’s website and dropping a random link. According to Google and every real SEO expert out there, you should always seek editorial links.
Quick reference to the rest in this series:
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In this chapter, we’ll delve into innovative strategies that can uncover hidden opportunities for link-building.
Broken link building, a strategy to combat link rot, involves finding and replacing dead links with relevant content.
Link rot refers to the phenomenon where web links lead to pages that are no longer available, often resulting in an HTTP 404 error.
It begins by identifying broken links on a website and then contacting webmasters to offer relevant replacements.
This approach benefits both parties: webmasters get rid of broken links, and you gain valuable backlinks.
The Skyscraper Technique is like giving your content a serious upgrade to attract more backlinks.
Brian Dean coined this strategy, comparing it to creating the tallest building in town and then adding even more floors to it.
First things first, let’s hunt down the right kind of content that’s ripe for improvement and ready to gather those links.
Here are some content types that work wonders for the skyscraper technique:
Now comes the crucial part: creating content that surpasses your competitor’s offering by a significant margin. Your content must stand out to attract those links.
Some common tactics include:
Find people who’ve linked to the original content you are improving. You can use tools like Ahrefs’ Site Explorer to help identify these potential linkers.
Craft personalized emails highlighting how your content enhances their existing material, making it a win-win situation.
Resource pages are great for backlinks, as they’re constantly looking for new, valuable content.
These page creators often seek fresh content, making it easy for your suggestion to get noticed and added.
HARO (Help A Reporter Out) is your golden ticket to earning links from top-notch publications, giving your website a boost in search engine rankings.
Reporters and bloggers use HARO to find experts on various topics. When you provide a compelling quote or insight, they link back to your website in their articles.
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Discover some straightforward link-building strategies for creating directory and “list link” connections.
Guest blogging is a strategy where you contribute articles to other websites.
It’s a fantastic way to share your expertise while gaining a link and visibility for your brand or business.
Check out our simple 5-step guest posting process now!
Blog and internet forum comments are notorious for being spammy but if done right, they can be a neat trick in your link building arsenal.
Improved SEO and Referral Traffic: Engaging in thoughtful blog comments not only creates backlinks but also boosts your SEO by driving referral traffic.
Building Social Proof: Crafting well-written, value-adding comments establishes you as an authority within your niche, contributing to social proof and credibility.
Due to the popularity and shareability of visual content, image linking can lead to countless fruitful backlinks over time. Naturally, social platforms link Instagram are the best place for this, followed by TikTok or YouTube for videos.
All you need to do is create engaging visual content, and the links will start rolling in!
Visual Content is King: Images such as infographics, charts, and visualizations simplify complex stuff. This makes them a valuable asset for other bloggers in the industry.
Get Organic Links: By sharing striking images, you can bag links from various websites when they credit you as the image source.
Reciprocal links are like a mutual agreement where two or more sites link to each other. These links can either be powerful allies or dangerous pitfalls in your SEO journey.
Because if you use reciprocal links solely for SEO purposes without genuine value, Google won’t hesitate to slap your site down in search results or even de-index it.
The number of backlinks you need to succeed depends upon a couple of dynamic variables.
You have to figure out how competitive your keyword is, what domain authority you have currently, and how it compares to your competitors.
Other considerations such as the quality of the links and anchor text profiles can also make a significant impact.
Check out the full guide on how to assess your link building requirements.
At this point, the pieces are starting to come together.
But many of you might still be wondering, “How in the hell do I actually convince these webmasters to give me a link?”
Well, I’m glad you asked because that’s what I am about to show you.
Before drafting an email or pitching a guest post, make sure your target is likely to provide a backlink.
Sometimes, you can find the answer to this question with a few clicks on their website.
Some blogs restrict guest posts or third-party links, while others have an open-door policy for content contributions.
If you are still not sure whether a specific website allows backlinks, you can still find a list of possible link targets using a simple reverse engineering exercise.
After narrowing down publishers and websites that are likely to give you some links, it’s time to track down their email address.
Under most circumstances, you can easily find this under the “Contact Us” tab of their website.
It’s often available under the ‘Contact Us’ section. If not, tools like Voila Norbert can fetch email addresses associated with a domain, using the person’s name and website.
Most authoritative website owners receive hundreds if not thousands of guest post and backlink requests on a monthly basis.
And if you want even a tiny chance at actually connecting with them and earning a backlink, you are going to need to stand out from the masses.
The only way to do this is by creating a highly personalized email script for each prospect.
Brian Dean from Backlinko.com has a great script that you can use for this purpose.
Hi [First Name],
I was looking for content on [Topic] today, when I stumbled on your article: [Article Title].
Good stuff! I especially enjoyed [Something specific from their article].
Also, I just published a new guide on [Your Topic]: [URL].
As someone that writes about [Topic], I thought you’d enjoy it.
My guide may also make a nice addition to your page. Either way, keep up the awesome work with [Website]!
Talk Soon,
[Your Name]
This script is the best resource that I have found for achieving high levels of personalization without too much effort.
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Link building can be complex and time-consuming, but the right tools and services can simplify the process.
While I have compiled an exhaustive list of the best link building tools in the industry (which you can check out here), my three favorites are as follows.
While I might be a little bit biased by recommending this one, I couldn’t conclude this article without mentioning our high-level link-building services.
At OutreachMama, we pride ourselves on providing our clients with everything they need to plan, execute, and optimize the perfect link-building campaign.
We will help you find the right websites to target, and the exact content that you should pitch, and then we do everything for you.
From content creation to backlink analysis, OutreachMama provides you with everything that you need to boost your SEO, increase your traffic, and drastically increase your revenue in record time.
Find out more about our link building services.
Semrush is widely recognized as an “All-in-one” SEO toolkit, offering a vast array of features.
It’s highly praised by industry professionals for its ability to provide detailed analysis that integrates seamlessly into digital marketing strategies.
SEMrush not only helps you perform day-to-day tasks, but also provides in-depth analysis that is very clear and can be easily incorporated into your digital marketing strategy and significantly improve your performance.
~Umit Yilmaz, SEO Engineer at Ebay.com
Ahrefs allows you to check your competitor’s backlink profiles, top pages, link growth, and countless other statistics.
Many of the top SEOs in the world use and recommend Ahrefs and it has been one of the leading tools on the market (almost) since Al Gore invented the internet.
Ahrefs offers a 30-day free trial and pricing packages that are comparable to Moz Pro making it a great alternative for Moz-averse marketers.
Continue with Part 4: How to Build Backlinks Without Worrying About Google Penalties
Or return to: Part 3: How to Implement a High-Quality Backlink Strategy
Part 2: 10X Your SEO With These Link Building Strategies & Services
Part 1: How to Build Backlinks: The Definitive Guide
💡If all of this is sounding like too much work, let us handle your link building. Take a look at our full range of link building services.
